Men’s basketball back on track after NCAC victory

By Matt Maier, Transcript Reporter

With fall sports wrapping up last week, the winter season is upon us and the men’s basketball team is in full force.

Opening their season with a game against Albion College Nov. 18, the Battling Bishops won 91-77 with help from players like Ben Simpson and Will Orr. Simpson led the Bishops with 21 points.

“The main thing that I do is watch film and determine how I can exploit my matchup,” Simpson said. “I love determining what I can do as a player to get the whole team involved as well.”

A day later, the Bishops played Trine University and won 79-72. This time, it was Orr who led the Bishops with 21 points, making seven of his 13 attempts from long range.

“I really just get my body ready mentally and physically,” Orr said.

“During pre-game, I shoot and make sure that I am knocking down my shots.”

Since the Trine game, the Bishops hit a three-game losing streak, losing to opponents like Capital, Illinois Wesleyan and Otterbein.

Against Capital, the men’s team lost 76-82; against Illinois Wesleyan, they lost 70-88 and against Otterbein, the men’s team fell short 66-72. But coach Mike DeWitt said he is optimistic about the future.

“Right now we just need to trust the process and trust each other,” DeWitt said. “If we can do that, we’ll get better as the season progresses and be a good team.”

Orr said, “I think we just need to remain a family, continue to trust each other and all use a boost of confidence to get through this.”

The Bishops beat DePauw in a close game with a score of 84-71 on Dec. 3. In this game, it was Simpson who led the team with 25 points.

Bishop’s training to win, again

By Matt Maier, Transcript Reporter

Following a first place victory last year in the NCAC championship, the Ohio Wesleyan track team is looking forward to continuing on the success they have had in the past.

“I enjoy the new challenges that each season brings,” said head coach Kris Boey. “While there is a great tradition, I am excited about the future. I am looking forward to seeing who will fill the shoes of the seniors who graduated last year.”

In the offseason, the track team had a new addition as Ben Carlson was named the head coach of the men and women’s cross country teams, as well as the assistant coach of the men and women’s track and field teams.

“It’s been a great transition to OWU,” Carlson said. “It’s always tough leaving a group of people, but I’m thankful for the opportunity at OWU. The students and the coaching staff have been fantastic in their reception.”

To prepare for the season, the team has been training since October in hopes to win the events they are scheduled for this season.

“We have been training together since Oct. 31 and to prepare for our various events, we have been comprehensive in our manner,” said Boey. “Each year I want our student athletes to improve, experience success and to have fun. We always expect to be at the top of the conference and region.”

OWU choir goes caroling

By Liz Hardaway, A & E Editor

“Hark! the herald angels” sang in Gray Chapel Dec. 5 as four different choirs in Delaware collaborated to kick off the holiday season.

Organized by Jason Hiester, Ohio Wesleyan’s choir director, and organist Joshua Brodbeck, choirs from Linworth United Methodist Church, Buckeye Valley High School Thomas Worthington High School and Ohio Wesleyan’s Choral Art Society shared the stage in Gray Chapel to celebrate the beginnings of Advent.

“[It was] an experience that … kicked off the season,” Hiester said.

Lessons and Carols included various scriptures from the Bible and a medley of carols, both with the purpose of telling of the nativity of Jesus and get everyone in the Christmas spirit, Hiester said.

In the future, Hiester said he hopes to get more of the community involved, including the Delaware Community Chorus.

“I always hope that every art event encourages people to continue supporting the arts and going out to see [the events],” said sophomore Hannah Wargo, who has been apart of the choir since her freshman year.

Different members of the community read for the Lessons and Carols, including Pastor Curnell Graham of Linworth United Methodist Church, the choir directors of Thomas Worthington High School and Buckeye Valley High School, students from Ohio Wesleyan and Rev. Jon Powers.

Powers explained that Advent is a 25-day celebration leading up to Christmas. Usually, churches will light candles each day until the holiday.

“We prepare for [our holi- days] with a certain number of days of re ection and preparation and trying to do goodwill … but, in our American culture, it kind of gets lost in the tinsel and glitter,” Powers said.

Though all the choirs had been practicing their carols since August, the choirs only rehearsed once all in unison an hour and a half before the show.

One Acts showcase creativity

By A.L Davies, Transcript Reporter

Giraffe breeding, humans on Mars and elderly Olympic synchronized swim teams were a few topics in the Ohio Wesleyan department of theatre and dance’s production of One Acts this year.

Thirteen plays were performed over two nights, Dec. 2-3, at 8 p.m. and were free to the OWU community. The plays were written by students in the Playwriting class and directed by students in the Directing class.

The plays ranged from comedic to serious in tone. Subject matter included custody battles, like in retired professor of theatre Bonnie Milne Gardner’s “Tonka Mom,” irrational fear of bugs in junior TJ Galamba’s “Stop Buggin’ Us” and loss of a parent in junior Alexia Minton’s “The Perfect Accessory.”

Performers did multiple onstage and backstage tasks. Sophomore Hannah Wargo directed Milne’s “Tonka Mom,” did light design for senior Alyssa Clark’s play “It’s Just Coffee” and organized all scene changes for Friday’s show.

Last year, Wargo acted in a play titled “Those Who Fly.”

As an actor last year, Wargo said she only worked with the director of the show she was in. This year, her responsibilities included working with the entire Directing class, planning callbacks and rehearsal schedules, watching auditions, picking actors and collaborating with the playwright.

Wargo also said One Acts usually attracts students who aren’t theatre majors and encourages them to get involved in the department.

“Theatre students are able to fill roles that they normally don’t get to,” she said. “Actors get to be directors or designers, designers get to act and playwrights get to direct or act.”

Wargo said she hoped people kept an open mind while watching this year’s show and realized that no subject can’t be put on the stage.

“I hope this year’s One Acts inspired people to keep supporting the arts and coming to theatre produc- tions,” Wargo said. “One Acts are written, directed and designed by students and are done so well, with only about three weeks of rehearsals.”

Faculty members also got involved, such as Japanese lecturer Jun Kawabe. It was her first time acting.

Kawabe performed in junior Charlie Lennon’s play “Going With the Flo” with her student Doris Ottman. The play was directed by another student of hers, junior Audrey Castaneda Walker.

The show also gave freshmen theatre students a chance to perform. First-year student Sarah Gielink acted as the character Girl in “Tonka Mom.”

“My performance in One Acts was very challenging for me,” Gielink said. “There was a lot of contradiction in my character … that I had to work on bringing out.”

“It was a great to be able to do this as a freshman, because it gave me the experience of working closely with my scene partner and my director,” she said.

Gielink also said she enjoyed seeing how the Playwriting and Directing classes are structured at OWU and what will be expected of her as an upperclass theatre student.

“I hope that people who saw our show will think twice before assuming someone’s backstory, and be reminded to not take the people in their lives for granted,” she said about the show’s plot.

Self-care for the poor college-goer

By Areena Arora, Managing Editor

It is no surprise that stress levels globally are at an all-time high, especially in industrialized, fast-paced, developed countries like the United States. Even more so on college campuses like ours where almost all of us are involved in activities we’re passionate about and being full-time students.

And here’s a fun fact about the situation – being a poor college student doesn’t just increase stress level, but also more difficult to deal with where expense is concerned.

Every so often I find a Buzzfeed or Odyssey article circulating on social media about 13 products that promise to instantly bring my stress levels down including coffee mugs with explicit graphic content or tea leaves. Sometimes, for $49.99, I am offered a pillow that will make sleeping easier, despite my Kate Spade (because, you know, self-care) planner over owing with words and commitments for the next day.

“The Stress in America survey results show that adults continue to report high levels of stress and many report that their stress has increased over the past year,” according to the American Psychological Association.

As much as I’m tempted to try out the magic cooling pillow, my bank account advises otherwise, and legitimately so. Must good sleep be bought?

Fighting stress has been turned into an industry – obviously there is demand, but isn’t this merely a clever tactic at exploiting white-collared, desperate customers who earn enough but cannot sleep enough?

Instead, here’s something you could do – take a free walk in the park, watch the sunset while snacking on $4.99 munchies, or check out a book from the library or jam to your favorite music.

In the capitalist world we live in, it is obvious (sadly so) that everything would be turned into a money making outlet. However, balancing hippie tea leaves and a walk outside makes me conclude that free self-care indeed does exist.

It is dif cult not to get pulled into the tempting words and images that the ever-so educated, equally stressed designers put together in their advertisements.

But self-care is free, or at least, can be. As we approach nals in less than a week, remember this more so – the industry of self-care is only trying to make money off of your stress levels and not your desire to hold a white coffee mug with a semi-clever caption in black ink.

You could always, instead, take a walk in the park, appreciate the weather and talk to friends, for $0.

What are Sanctuary Cities?

By Tom Wolber, Transcript Correspondent

Sanctuary cities and campuses are in the news these days.

During his campaign, Donald Trump routinely stated that he would deport the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S.

After his election, he reaffirmed that the immediate deportation of 2 to 3 million immigrants with criminal records
(a gross exaggeration) remains a top priority. And he has threatened to block federal funding for sanctuary cities, viewed by conservatives as “renegade localities” that disregard the law and order and harbor hordes of illegals, felons and rapists.

Trump has also routinely associated and even equated, in blatantly racist terms, Mexicans with lawbreakers and Muslims with terrorists.

Just a few days ago, he stated that flag-burning (a constitutionally protected form of free speech) should be punished by loss of citizenship. In Trump’s dystopian world, no one is safe and the need for sanctuary cities and campuses is great.

As a response, mayors in over 200 American cities have announced that in their municipalities police officers will decline full cooperation with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

They quoted many different reasons for refusing to cooperate, some of which have nothing to do with politics.

Some mayors worry that assigning additional tasks to police of cers would harm their ability to perform their regular duties of solving crimes, responding to crashes and keeping the community safe.

They also worry that fear of detainment and deportation would create distrust and discourage victims and witnesses from talking to and working with police.

Others have quoted federal judges, who ruled it would be an unconstitutional to hold someone in jail without an arrest warrant and probable cause, solely at the request of federal agents. And, let’s hope, there are also a number of decent people among the mayors who don’t see the need to disrupt the lives of hard-working residents who have families, jobs and contribute to the tax base of their cities.

Religious leaders have expressed their view that sheltering and protecting new Americans is part of their right to free exercise of religion that must not be abrogated. For example, the Catholic Church, the largest denomination in the nation, is committed to resettling refugees and keeping immigrant families together.

Colleges and universities, even more so than towns and cities, have lofty vision and mission statements that prohibit any and all forms of discrimination on the basis of race, gender, religion, origin, etc.

Many consider discrimination against undocumented immigrants a similarly grievous violation of natural law and human rights.

Countless colleges and university presidents have emerged in recent days and weeks to emphasize their commitment to the safety of all students, regardless of their immigration status. Even if they don’t use the “sanctuary” term (e.g., the University of California system), they will not cooperate with any new federal policies that target immigrant students unless a court order is produced as a result of an actual or suspected crime.

Only when undocumented immigrants do commit serious crimes and a valid warrant is produced will sanctuary cities and campuses cooperate with ICE.

Even Trump’s own alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania, has renewed its pledge to block federal agents without a warrant from removing students. President Amy Gutmann has issued a statement that reads in part: “We are and remain resolute in our commitment to Penn’s undocumented students and will do all we can to ensure their continued safety and success here at Penn.”

What are some of the concrete things institutions of higher learning can do? In addition to providing need-based and merit-based financial aid for tuition, room and board, schools should immediately make available designated resources and personnel for those in need.

A free legal-aid and court-assistance program ensures due process and helps students stay in the country and pursue residency and citizenship status if desired. If money is tight, then perhaps a sympathetic donor can step in.

Schools and universities should also reevaluate what kind of data they collect and archive. Like any tool or weapon, knowledge is dialectical. It can either help or harm.

If a registry of foreign-born students falls into the wrong hands (e.g., by becoming ”evidence” through a court-ordered subpoena), it could in some cases lead to the detainment, internment and deportation of “dreamers” and other groups.

California is currently working on sweeping legislation to protect undocu- mented immigrants from deportation. The state already offers in-state tuition and driver’s licenses to undocumented residents.

It will now set up a public fund to help train public defenders in immigra- tion law and to protect the vulnerable.

All people are born equal, with basic natural rights, including those of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. In the face of injustice, resistance becomes a moral imperative.

Just like California has resolved to shield its most vulnerable residents from governmental overreach, colleges and universities exist to serve the public, for the benefit of all.

In these challenging times, they have an ethical obligation to remain sanctuaries for the free pursuit of truth and the human spirit. They also must ful ll the practical task of ensuring the safety of the communities of students and teachers in search of knowledge, skills and character.

Election results discussed by Professor Jenny Holland

By Evan Walsh, Transcript Reporter

Whether you supported Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, the election results likely came as a surprise to you if you were paying attention to the polls.

Every major news network, from the conservative Fox to the more left-leaning MSNBC, predicted the Democratic nominee would win.

They were wrong.

Helping to make sense of the seemingly irreconcilable story the polls told leading up to the election and the election result was Jenny Holland, Ohio Wesleyan professor of politics and government.

Her lecture focused primarily on the distinction between the electoral and popular votes within certain states, voting demographics and potential aws in the polling methodology.

Senior Kevin Rossi said the topic piqued his interest.

“It was very stimulating and [Holland] made a lot of points that I have not heard talked about,” Rossi said.

Using a number of different exit polls from several different swing states, primarily in the Great Lakes region, she said the media failed in its predictions.

Of particular importance was the Clinton campaign’s failure to get former Obama voters from those states to vote for her.

Meanwhile, Trump’s campaign bene ted from only a marginal decrease and, in some cases, even an increase over Mitt Romney in those same places and among those same people from four years ago.

News networks, too, focused on data that had been collected, while data from 2012 did not consider that that voting trend might not come to fruition.

Senior Caroline Hamilton, a politics and government major who helped organize the talk, said she was impressed with how thorough Holland’s research was.

“It was interesting to hear the comparison between Obama to Hillary and Romney to Trump and that Trump actually kept a lot of Romney supporters from abandoning him,” Hamilton said.

Considering Trump’s position as a self-proclaimed “anti-establishment” Republican such support was unexpected.

On five separate occasions, and twice in the last 16 years, a candidate has won the popular vote but not the electoral college.

“Some may feel that ‘five out of 45 times is doing a good job,’” Holland said. “Others may feel that, ‘no, five times is just too many’ and we should make a change. The reality is that the process to amend is very difficult.”

But Holland said her major concern was with the media’s poll prediction problems she addressed in her talk.

“It is probably going to be difficult for people to trust those numbers in the future when most polls did not make the accurate prediction between just two candidates,” she said.

Hopsters provides festive beer options

By Shamayeta Rahman, Transcript Reporter

Holiday-themed beers are in stock at Barley Hopsters. Flavors include nutmeg, cinnamon and allspices, all of which are already in shelves.

Owner Brian Harpster displayed a collection of holiday-themed beers, some of which are made locally. The special ales, beers and porters come in Christmas-themed bottles and the avors range from peaches, citruses and other winter spices.

“This is mainly a beer store, so we’ve got a lot of themed beers and we’ll serve it up in a beer mug rimmed with nutmeg,” Harpster said.

Some of the beers on display included Great Lakes Brewing Co. Christmas Ale, Shiner Holiday Cheer, Sweet Water Festive Ale and Alpha Klaus Three Floyds Christmas Porter.

“I like craft beer and they have a lot of great variety,” said Ohio Wesleyan senior Connor Payne, “I’m drinking a citrus-flavored local brew and am enjoying the new flavors they’ve got for the holidays.”

Students of legal age flock to the little beer joint and Barley Hopsters has a great reputation in the student community, said Payne. He also added that he has heard plenty of students talk about it and knows of many more who frequent the store.

 

New pizza place opens in Delaware

By Leah Mizas, Photo Editor

Pizza shop MOhio opened its doors to the Delaware community with a concise, one page menu of pizza, sandwiches, salads and drinks.

Owner Mo Nelson said he wanted to get into the food business and has been cooking pizzas for four years, studying different styles while crafting his own, according to the Delaware Gazette.

Nelson, who was initially a contractor, said he decided to start his business in Delaware after attending a car show in town.

We saw this as a solid investment opportunity and ended up buying a three-story building in the heart of Sandusky Street,” he said.

MOhio provides a three-item menu.

“If you have one thing, you do it well,” Nelson said. “The idea is that whatever I have on my menu, is going to be good. I don’t have any lost readers on my menu.”

Ohio Wesleyan junior Daniel Haygood, waiter at MOhio, said the restaurant has become a popular date spot. He also said it’s the best pizza he has had in Delaware.

Although Delaware has been flooding with new restaurants, Nelson said he hasn’t felt any type of competition.

“Everybody has been really friendly around here,” he said.

“I was told that they wanted me to open, because if one more place opens then there will be one more person who might come here who had not and will see restaurants, as well.”

But the one problem that he encountered is parking spots, especially since his clients are predominantly older.

“There’s nowhere to park,” Nelson said. “I see them drive around and then leave.”

The new pizza shop has been publicized through its Facebook page and several news outlets, according to Haygood.

Local restaurant plans to move soon

By Sara Hollabaugh, Online Editor

Columbus top-rated and Delaware located restaurant Veritas is moving to downtown Columbus.

Named “Best New Restaurant” by Columbus Monthly, Veritas opened in 2012 at its 15 E. Winter Street address in Delaware, Ohio.

According to its website, Veritas “uses modern techniques, the best available products, creativity and amazing cocktails to create a unique dining experience.”

In 2013, Veritas was featured in Columbus Monthly as number one of 10 top-rated restaurants.

Their website describes it as a restaurant that is “committed to providing you a positively unique dining experience. Dishes are served as Small Plates in order to present you the opportunity to enjoy an assortment of our traditional and unexpected flavor combinations.”

As a result of the restaurant’s success, Joshua Dalton, owner and head chef, has decided to move from downtown Delaware to downtown Columbus.

Dalton said he wasn’t trying to move from Delaware, but an opportunity for the move was presented two years ago.

“The sole reason for this move is that it is a one in a million opportunity,” Dalton said. “One that I simply cannot pass up.”

According to Columbus Monthly, Veritas will move from East Winter Street to 51 N. High Street, the old Citizens Building, allowing Veritas to go from 1,300 square feet to 2,700.

The space will also allow Veritas to add a weekday lunch menu and hold a glass-encased kitchen, Veritas told Columbus Monthly.

“I feel like the way the industry is going, people want to see what’s going on, to see where the magic happens,” Dalton told Columbus Monthly. “We looked at a ton of spaces and this gives us the opportunity to do the food we want to do.”

As for the East Winter Street location, Dalton has plans to open a new restaurant in that space.

“While we are extremely excited to move Veritas to a larger market, we’re equally excited about our plans for the Delaware space,” Dalton said. “The new concept will be called Speck and it will be an Italian eatery with a really unique approach at an affordable price.”

Dalton said Speck is a concept he has wanted to create for a long time.

As of now, Veritas is set to move in the spring of 2017, but there is no set date yet.

In addition to Veritas and in the future, Speck, Dalton also owns 1808 American Bistro, located at 29 E. Winter St about 50 yards away from Veritas.

Established in 2009, 1808 American Bistro, remaining in Delaware, offers a full course menu unlike Veritas’ tapas-style menu.

At 1808, a happy hour is offered all day Monday and from 4-7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, according to Abby Cottongim, bar manager.

The American bistro’s happy hour includes half-priced draft beers and $2 well drinks.

Abby added that 1808 has a pint night on Tuesday, live music every Wednesday, wine bottles sold at retail on Thursday and bottomless cocktails at brunch every Sunday.

Dalton said his success is relative to individual perspective.

“We have been very lucky to have our customers and critiques enjoy what we are doing,” Dalton said. “By that I mean we do food we are excited about. Food that moves us. When you love what you do, it shows. You can taste the difference.”